Chaim
Boy name · #666 in 2025 · Uniqueness 56/100
Chaim is currently the #666 boy name in the United States — 411 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #714, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,380 boys born in 2025 was named Chaim.
Babies named Chaim per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 83-year story
Chaim first appears in the Social Security records in 1942, when 7 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 462 babies and a rank of #607. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Chaim against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Chaim in class?
Chaim scores 56 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Chaim is most common
Geography matters for names, and Chaim is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Chaims were NY (260), NJ (117), IL (6), FL (5), OH (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Chaim
Statistically, parents drawn to Chaim tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ephraim, Naim, Karim, Efraim, and Denim.
EphraimNaimKarimEfraimDenimCalumSamirCannon
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Chaim | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 411 | #666 |
| 2024 | 399 | #682 |
| 2023 | 444 | #626 |
| 2022 | 462 | #607 |
| 2021 | 383 | #694 |
| 2020 | 386 | #673 |
| 2019 | 360 | #699 |
| 2018 | 314 | #751 |
| 2017 | 347 | #705 |
| 2016 | 326 | #748 |
| 2015 | 347 | #714 |
| 2014 | 291 | #790 |
| 2013 | 341 | #700 |
| 2012 | 339 | #701 |
| 2011 | 299 | #757 |
| 2010 | 245 | #859 |
| 2009 | 270 | #816 |
| 2008 | 273 | #804 |
| 2007 | 275 | #786 |
| 2006 | 237 | #847 |
| 2005 | 239 | #802 |
| 2004 | 213 | #835 |
| 2003 | 213 | #822 |
| 2002 | 184 | #886 |
| 2001 | 174 | #902 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Chaim a popular boy name?
Chaim ranked #666 among boys in 2025 with 411 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #714.
When was the name Chaim most popular?
Chaim peaked in 2022, when 462 American boys received the name (ranked #607 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Chaim?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,380 newborn American boys was named Chaim. It scores 56/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.